Of Flesh and Metal
by Kidagarush
Summary: Review and tell me if you want more! Rated T for mild language. Semi-AU. Ed has some big fish to fry: The Eithem. A group of rogue alchemists dedicated to chaos. Can Ed hope to overcome the anarchy set before him? Read and find out!


"Ed. Ed? Edward, stop!" Her sharp voice made him halt. She sounded angry; frustrated, too; but beneath it all there was a heavy sadness. It coloured her words, finally bringing understanding to her existence. Why she was the way she was, why she'd stayed with the Elrics this whole time. Sympathy...

He turned to face the glare she'd been giving the back of his head. Ed knew full well he should've kept going; he'd meant to; he'd promised himself there would be no holding back, no looking back. No turning back. Only Brynn would've been able to stop him, no matter how determined the young alchemist had been to leave. Her hand was half raised; she'd clearly been about to try to restrain him or something like that. Her hair fell in gentle waves around her face, not a strand out of place. It was as though not one folicle dared disobey the orderliness of her appearance. Her peircing green gaze stared unwaveringly into the golden expanse of Edward's eyes as she withdrew her arm, and stood up straight. Her height was perhaps an inch shy of his.  
"Ed. You can't do this. You ha-"  
"I'm capable enough; Bri, you're not my babysitter. I need to go."  
"I'm not arguing that! But..."  
"But?" One blonde eyebrow arched impatiently.  
"But you have to think about others! Other people, Ed... People who need you to be here, and be in one peice." Brynn was on the verge of pleading with him.

"Listen to me. I'm strong, smart, I'm one of the best fighters anyone in this town has ever seen, and I'm a state alchemist. It's unlikely I'll be anything but one peice. I don't need to be here; not if you stay out of trouble, and keep Al away from anything dangerous. His curiosity will be the end of him." Edward almost chuckled, casting a glance out the window at his kid brother as he tried in vain to hide from the landlady's children. They were always playing some game of sorts. That's why now was the perfect time to get going. Al would put up more of a fight than Brynn; he'd bar the entrance, and probably stuff Ed inside his armor just to keep him here... Why was everyone so damn protective of him? Wasn't alchemy compotence enough? Why was he babied so much?  
"Look. I'm not asking for permission, so stop trying to tell me no. I'm a grown man and can take care of my own damn self!" He hadn't meant to raise his voice; but his frustration had gotten the better of him.

"No," Brynn said, unblinking as tears welled up in her emerald eyes, "I'm not telling you off, like some kid, okay? I'm telling you that some things are just too frickin' hard for people. Even people like you, Ed. You're not a grown man, not yet. I... I admit you've grown up, but isn't there some small possibility that this is still too big for you?"

"I'm going, Brynn. Just... stop. Please, just stop. I don't need this..." He whispered the last few words, dropping to an unnaturally hushed tone. The angry blonde never stopped shouting really, whether it was at some thug, calling him short, or at Winry, pissed about him trashing her latest repair job. He had walls to keep this emotional mess locked up; he couldn't lose his confidence now.  
"Ed." Brynn stepped closer. She took his left wrist before he could back away. "Why? Why is this such a mission for you? Why can't you stay safe for once, instead of flying off the handle, and leaving for some all-encompassing job that only you seem to be qualified to handle, every damn time? Why can't you be here? With Al, and Jake, and Lily, and... and me? Aren't we important enough?"

Edward cast his eyes to the floor. He wasn't sure if he could answer that. Not honestly, at least. He could lie, could say he'd rather have adventures or some bullshit, just to get Brynn off his back, but it'd be more than that. He'd be hurting her; so badly that she might finally do what she should have the day she met Ed. Walk out on him. Walk out of his life. _Bri would be better off, but I guess I'm just too damn selfish_, the blonde thought. He opted for silence.  
Her right hand moved its vice grip to his forearm, while her left raised his chin so that his gaze met hers. The blonde's brows furrowed slightly. "I don't belong in a place like this," He said slowly.  
"You can't be serious. You belong with Al; with friends who care about you."  
"You can't understand," He retorted.  
"You're not making sense! Why do you feel like you have to be the hero all the goddamn time, huh? What are you trying to prove?" She glared at him.  
"I have things to fix."  
"But you need a break; you need to rest every so often," Brynn insisted.  
"I don't- don't deserve..."  
"Deserve what? Safety? Peace? Everyone deser-"

"Happiness!" He exploded. She withdrew her hand from his face as though he'd burned her. The hurt in her eyes only served to fuel his mal content. "I don't deserve to be happy; I've made too many people UN-happy. Every misfortune, every murder... Havoc... Hughes... Al... Mom... All because of mistakes I made! Decisions I'd made wrong. Don't you get it? If I stop The Eithem, I can finally redeem myself! And if I should die trying... I'll finally have paid for my wrongdoings."  
"But... Ed..." Her grip on his arm loosened, and he backed away, his long golden bangs obscuring his face. Wordlessly, he reached down, his automail grabbing his bag and slinging it over his shoulder.  
"I'm sorry, Brynn. Really." Edward didn't raise his head as he spoke. He merely turned around, and headed for the door.

"No!" Brynn darted around him and spread her arms wide, blocking the exit. "You can't leave. You can't," She snapped, "without me telling you." The young alchemist stared at her incredulously, confused but still angry.  
"Well I can't stay; I can't wait around for those bastards to kill someone else. I have to stop them while I can, Bri, so let me go. It can wait until I get back." His voice was stern and sharp, no hint of weakness.

"You're going to listen to me, Fullmetal!" Brynn shouted.

She'd never called him that; never alienated him by using that name. She'd never once questioned his automail, or Al's suit. Never had she asked for a back story, or an explanation. She'd accepted Ed from the moment she met him, and she hadn't made him feel anything but human. The nickname stung, and Ed's anger quelled as it finally dawned on him. Brynn was serious. More serious than she'd ever been.

"I don't want you to leave. Not because you can't kick ass when you need to; not because it'd be too tough; not because you're too young. Because I need you to be here. With me. I need you to be okay. If you're off wherever the hell battling God knows what, how can I ever know that you'll come back safe? That you'll come back to me? I can't bear the thought of loosing you Edward, and if you leave, if you walk out that door I would go stark raving mad worrying whether or not you'd still be alive when I saw you next. You can't go, because you aren't the only one who cares about you anymore!" Brynn leaned back; she hadn't realized how close she'd gotten while yelling at Ed. She took in deep breaths, trying to calm down again.  
When she looked back up at the blonde's face, she was surprised to see tears budding in the corners of his golden eyes, and a deep redness she was sure rested in her own cheeks. He seemed to focus then, gaze fixing on Brynn as she tried to steady herself.

"Is... all that... true?" He said softly. He knew irrevocably that she'd poured her heart out; he just needed to hear her say it, make it solid and unyeilding before he did what he was going to do next.

"Yes," She murmured weakly, looking up at him from under thick lashes. He dropped his bag. He reached his arm around Brynn's waist and pulled her close.

"I have something- someone to come back to. I know that now. So you can be sure I'll put effort into returning," he whispered. Gently, he pulled her in closer, giving her time to turn away. Time to reject him, if she wanted to. Like she should do. He didn't deserve her... he couldn't possibly have someone like her... Brynn let her eyes flutter closed as both her arms reached around his neck. She buried one hand in his soft, golden hair as they drifted closer together. Adrenaline coursed through his veins as their lips met. Softly, hesitantly at first, then with a growing passion, Ed kissed her. Tentitavely, Brynn ran her tongue over his lower lip. Questioningly. He didn't hesitate in allowing her entrance; He pressed himself against her, loving how they fitted together so perfectly. In response, she molded herself to him, holding tight to his crimson jacket as though she'd never let go again. The scent of her hair... the feel of her skin... he never thought he'd be allowed to have this... not with anyone; certainly not Brynn. But she wanted him... she understood him. Here, in this moment, he was... He couldn't identify what this feeling was... it was a peaceful, contented emotion... Content?

As in... happy?

Yes. Yes, it must be. Edward was happy; he hadn't felt it in so long, it had become foreign to him. He welcomed happiness with open arms. Edward hugged her more fiercely to him as their lips danced with each others; he was determined to make this instant of bliss last for as long as he could...

"Ahem." A metallic voice shattered the silence, and Edward whirled around as though he was a 6 year old, caught with his hand in a cookie jar. Brynn just stood in shock, lost in the memory of what had transpired moments before.  
"If telling me to go play was only an excuse, then I'm dissapointed in you, brother. You could've said you wanted time... to yourself," Al said, his young indignant tone reverbrating within his armor.

Edward was certain the blush that stained his cheeks in that moment would never leave his face again.


End file.
